


Demolition

by enemy_xands



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Disney Princesses, Mulan (1998), Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Genre: F/F, Female Character of Color, Feminist Themes, Infidelity, Race, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 20:40:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enemy_xands/pseuds/enemy_xands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulan watches Aurora... and is watched in return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Demolition

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this after having a shoddy day... This fic is a little different and experimental, so please note the tags. And somehow it's not related to Once Upon A Time, so don't get your hopes up.

Mulan had cut her hair again so she couldn’t twirl it during the meeting. 

It was even shorter than the first time she’d cut it. A very boyish look. She could have gone all the way and shaved it, colored it, a little something different. Her parents claimed “Mr. Disney” was corrupting her. Shang & Grandmother loved it. Mushu thought it was a phase. Whatever happened to plain fun? 

She took a strand between her fingers and tried to twirl it again. No luck. She let out a sigh behind her hand that she tried to disguise as a yawn. She hated Princess meetings. The meetings were such a farce—after their respective movie had come out, there was a big tribunal to decide if the girl heroine “counted” as a Princess. Only a handful of people in the room were actual royalty. The rest were there by virtue of being female, being Disney-affiliated, and having big box office numbers.

Mulan glanced around the room anxiously. Her eyes fell, as they ever do, on her senior in Princess-ness, Aurora. Aurora looked even more out of it than Mulan, listening to the group manager introduce two new names to their merry crew. Aurora always had a flawless air of aloofness about her, which was probably the main reason the other Princess avoided her. Mulan always watched her during meetings, watched her quiet stirring and increasingly bored expressions. Today she wore a green Grecian gown with a gold purse at her feet. Her ennui was gorgeous.

Mulan liked watching Aurora. Once, her head had slipped from her hand and she face-planted right on the conference table. Mulan knew she saw it, but the Princess had recovered so fast she doubted her own eyes, never mind the big red mark on her forehead. 

Aurora was so graceful and majestic, just like a proper princess—no, a queen; her every step, every swish was economical and artfully animated. Her eyes held neither contempt nor affection for her fellow Princesses. Mulan wished she could say the same about herself. Upon her induction into the Princess Hall of Fame, she had incurred several enemies. The Princess mantle was not to be given lightly, and every time a “commoner” was introduced, well, it seemed like it depleted in value exponentially.

Once, a while ago, Mulan found herself walking through the halls of the main building, cup of oolong tea in hand. She spotted Eilonwy waiting near a door. Eilonwy was actually older than Mulan, but her character design meant she would stay about thirteen forever. They had struck up an unexpected conversation, and Mulan blurted out:

“You know, I never understood why you aren’t in there. You’re an actual princess-princess. And you’re so bad ass.”

Eilonwy held her hands up as if to say _que serà, serà_. “You know how it goes. I appreciate the cult base though, it’s rather fun!”

Mulan smiled and went on her way.

Back in the meeting again. Mulan had completely missed the two girls introduced, but she recognized their respective head shots—Rapunzel and Tiana. She had liked their movies. There was always an air of anxiety and tension during the “procedures”, but as Mulan had learned, if you’ve even been nominated there’s a good chance you’ll be in. She was glad to see some new faces, especially Tiana’s.

“What about the girl from _Brave_?” Snow White chimed in suddenly. “Midian? No, Merida!”

“Err, she’s not our department, Snow,” Jasmine said. Snow White shrugged.

“Well, still… it’s close enough. It’s been a while since we’ve had a new red head.”

Ariel huffed angrily. Mulan heard Pocahontas snickering quietly to her left. 

“That girl…” she said, and trailed off.

Finally, after an eternity, they could leave. It wasn’t like they decided who became part of the pantheon, anyway. It was more like accustoming skittish toy terriers to new visitors. Mulan doubt she’d ever see the girls. 

She watched Aurora slip her smart phone out of her bag. Surprisingly, it was undecorated save for a few faded stickers on the back. Mulan couldn’t make out what they said. She seemed extremely interested in something she was reading as she left the conference room without even a whisper.

#

At the end of the day, Mulan returned to her parents’ home for a short visit. Her old bed was still just the way she’d left it—mother maintained it. She used it as a meditation room these days, far away from the artifacts of her legend (or really, the myth).

She crossed her legs in the center of the room and closed her eyes. She thought of the meeting again, and laughed at Snow White’s blunder. Poor girl, she would be fourteen forever. She thought of Aurora again and her green dress. Maybe their first meeting would have to be a conversation about clothing shops.

Sometimes, Mulan hated Aurora, too. Hated her elegance and gentleness. All signified a life of privilege, of court dates and soft, dainty hands—oh, and of course, she was married. All of them were married or engaged, of course. Their prince charmings, their knights in shining armor.

(Mulan was Shang’s knight and she never let him forget it)

Mulan wondered if Aurora would have children. She didn’t seem the type. Did she even like children? Would she be a callous mother and leave them to governesses? Or was their some hidden, caring side of her?

#

Mulan still had a list of “absences excuses”, just like in school. Except now they were for meetings, and they had to sound a little more convincing and grown-up.

Mulan was under no delusion about the whiteness of the Princesses. She and Pocahontas had cynically discussed their token status before, with Jasmine acting as the moderate buffer between them. Pocahontas felt it was important to show up, but after getting cut from merchandising so often sometimes even she couldn’t take it. Typically, if Pocahontas wasn’t around, there was a 50/50 chance that Mulan would excuse herself. But if neither Jasmine nor Pocahontas were there? Sick day. 

No one was ever the wiser. 

Today was the introduction of the new girls. Jasmine waved to her from across the table. No Pocahontas. Mulan took in the collective pallor of the group and sighed. She would stay, but only to support the new girls. 

Aurora came in just behind Ariel and their meeting kicked off. Aurora wore purple today, the color of her eyes. She rested her head more politely atop her folded hands and smiled as the girls introduced themselves. 

Rapunzel went first. She was a chirpy, stuttering, nervous mess, but Mulan loved her. She remembered that sense of excitement, before the bitterness took over. Tiana was next. Tiana was more composed if a little nervous. The two girls sat down and the other Princesses proceeded to chat with them while the shadowy group management debated. 

Tiana strayed too near to Snow White and Cinderella and they caught her in a web of conversation. Rapunzel stayed near the outskirts and mostly associated with Ariel and Belle. Aurora’s intimidation force field was in full effect. Mulan moved around from sphere to sphere, catching a few bits of conversation as she went. She eventually found a corner with Jasmine.

“I didn’t think you’d stay long,” Jasmine said, her “quiet” voice husky. Mulan waved her off.

“Mom says I can’t be antisocial forever.”

“I wonder where Pocahontas is…” 

“I’m sure she’s off doing better things.”

Jasmine grew quiet and Mulan followed her line of vision. Snow White had a death grip on Tiana’s hand, and the poor girl was trying to gently get away. But as was her nature, Snow White just kept gabbing and gabbing. Even Cinderella looked like she was losing patience.

“Anyway, honey, I’m sure you’ll get in. I know it. Mulan and Pocahontas are. I didn’t even think those people had princesses.”

The room grew stone silent. Mulan slowly rotated her whole body to face Snow White, who was already blanching. Tiana finally slipped her hand away from Snow’s and she stood up, muttering a soft, “Girl…” 

“O-oh. Did I say something bad?” Snow White stammered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it—”

Jasmine rolled her eyes and opened her mouth, but Aurora rose up behind Snow White like a shadow. Mulan took a minute to notice how tall she was—was she really? Or what it the warped effect of her intimidation bubble? 

Aurora placed one of her elegant hands on the young girl’s shoulders and muttered, “How about you get your head out of your little outdated picture books?”

Mulan suddenly wished Pocahontas had come after all. Snow White’s face went from stark white to rose red, and for a moment Mulan thought she might cry. Cinderella patted Snow White’s back encouragingly. She cast a sympathetic glance to Mulan. Jasmine still looked pissed while Ariel, Rapunzel, and Belle all looked various degrees of uncomfortable and amused. 

Aurora’s swipe was measured but firm, but to Mulan’s surprise, she wasn’t done yet. 

“For your information, ‘princess’ is a heavily loaded concept,” she went on, growing increasingly snippy. “Other countries have royalty, too.”

“I _know_ that, it was just a slip,” Snow White pleaded, looking to Cinderella for help. Aurora was aloof, but Cinderella could be downright distant and detached when she needed to be. Mulan sometimes wondered if it was a survival instinct she’d picked up. In any case, there was no help for Snow White from her. 

Mulan sighed and edged past Jasmine.

“Now that the festivities are over, I guess I’ll just… take my leave.” 

“Sorry that happened,” Jasmine said with a frustrated sigh. “People, I swear.” 

“It’s okay, it wasn’t really a big deal…” Mulan said, not sure who she was trying to convince. She slipped out the door, past Aurora still giving her sermon.

#

Outside in the rec area, Mulan wished she still smoked. That was “Mr. Disney’s” fault, actually. She hadn’t picked up a habit until she got here, but after three tries she couldn’t stand the nicotine and tobacco. But she didn’t get in trouble for the cigarettes, she got in trouble for lying and using Grandmother’s pipe. She smiled a little at the memory.

But smoking took the edge off long days, fans, autographs, and microaggressions. At least she hadn’t had her legend run through as badly as some others, but it had still set in. She rested her head against her knees and sighed. She didn’t want to go home to Shang just yet. She wanted to think and be alone. “Brood,” as Shang said.

She felt the weight of a hand on the back of her neck.

“Can I sit here?”

Mulan didn’t need to look up to recognize the moody voice. But she did anyway, and a few stray blond curls tumbled into her face. She blinked and laughed.

“Oh, sorry!” Aurora quickly pushed some hair back over her shoulder. 

Mulan patted a spot next to her. “Please, have a seat.” 

Aurora sat. She looked as cool and posh up close as Mulan thought she would. Her ash blonde hair framed her face. She still looked a little heated from her speech earlier. Her words were as pragmatic as her movements.

“Sorry about what happened back there,” she said, a perpetually dreamy tone in her voice. “I know you don’t need me to fight your battles, but…” 

“Thank you,” Mulan said. “A little harsh, but…”

“Oh, she’ll get over it. And probably be right back at it by tomorrow. But that was embarrassing.”

Mulan nodded. “Thank you for trying.”

Aurora pulled her cell phone out again and gave it to Mulan. She turned it on and unlocked it, and a page from Slate.com appeared.

Mulan’s eyebrows raised in surprised. “What’s this?”

“I’ve been reading lately,” Aurora said softly. “Belle recommended some articles and books on modern feminism to me…” 

Mulan didn’t think her eyebrows could go any higher. “You? A feminist?” 

Aurora laughed charmingly. “I don’t look the type, I take it?”

“Well—I don’t know, really, it’s just a surprise, I guess.” 

“Mother says its ruining my life already. Maybe she’s right.” Aurora took her phone back and laughed again. “After all, it exposed me to all the injustices happening around me, just outside my pretty little princess castle. And it made me realize I don’t want to be married anymore…”

The sentence floated between them like a feather. Mulan twiddled her hands in her lap, suddenly at a loss for words.

“I’ve always wanted to talk to you, you know…” 

#  


It didn’t take much convincing to get Mulan to come into Aurora’s world. She found herself enveloped in the lush, painstakingly hand-painted landscapes, the misty forests, and Aurora’s looming, imperial castle. It wasn’t _all_ hers, but there were sections she and Philip had to themselves. And then there were secret parts she had all to herself. 

Like any good classical princess, Aurora had an uncanny ability to speak to animals, usher them around and ask them to do her bidding. Mulan didn’t believe it until she saw Cinderella coax a squirrel into helping her find her car keys—although, it wasn’t like talking to a dragon was a short feat either.

Birds closed the drapes. An owl kept look out. They were in a grand library, with Aurora only wearing a nightgown. The castle still retained most of its old world charm, with only a few modern touches here and there, such as hi-def televisions. Mulan preferred a wholly modern life, herself.

Aurora even looked graceful in her obvious nervousness. The first thing her hands honed in on was Mulan’s short locks, and she looked as if she had wanted to touch them for centuries.

“I love your hair,” she said breathily. “Will you keep it this short?” 

Mulan simply smiled. 

Their lips pressed together and sparked heat in Mulan’s belly, her loins.

They fumbled with clothes even though there wasn’t much to fumble with. Aurora hid her inexperience by taking charge, caressing Mulan’s small breasts and pinching at her nipples, moving her hands across her belly and backside. Soon her fingers found Mulan’s sex and dipped in and out, slid across slick folds and in wet crevices until Mulan was clutching at her shoulders and calling her name. 

“Rose,” Aurora muttered into her neck. “I’ve always preferred Rose.” 

#  


The next meeting was made a lot more tolerable and intolerable at the same time by Aurora’s roving hands. She didn’t want to stop her, but she didn’t want to soak her new cargo pants at the same time. She finally fended off the princess just in time for the meeting to come to a close. Unsurprisingly, Tiana and Rapunzel made it in. They were already wearing the barely masked Scowls of Indifference. 

Jasmine and Belle caught Pocahontas up on last week’s events. Mulan was afraid that Pocahontas was going to finish what Aurora started and go off on Snow, but to her relief she simply leveled a withering glare at the younger princess. 

#  


"I’m thinking of leaving Philip, but… it’s… hard.” Aurora laughed bitterly. “Actually, it’s nearly impossible, bar another dragon attack.” 

Mulan took a deep breath. “If you left Philip for me… should I leave Shang for you? What are we, anyway?”

Aurora looked up at Mulan, agonized. 

#  


In the end, the princess couldn’t leave the castle, so she destroyed it instead. 

A Princess stepping down was unprecedented. Was that even possible? Aurora officially retired her “brand”. Oh, her merchandise would still sell, but no new appearances. No more songs. No more Princess life.

Mulan had missed it, but Tiana told her that Aurora had even curtsied at her dismissal, then waltzed out singing. The scandal was all very well contained—Prince Philip would be allowed to remarry, even if he would be forever incensed at the betrayal. Mulan wondered what he thought of her.

Shang seemed oddly supportive. Or was that relief? Mulan couldn’t tell, but she felt grateful. He told her that it wasn’t even all that uncommon for two women to bond so… Word never reached her family. That mortified Mulan the most and kept her on edge some nights.

For her part Aurora—Rose again—moved into a romantic little cottage and had Mulan over as often as she could. On their first night alone there, Mulan rested her head on Aurora’s chest and traced characters on her stomach.

“Was it really worth it?” Mulan asked. “All this. Are you that much happier now?” 

“I can’t describe it,” Rose said, stroking the curve of her back. “It’s… everything’s so perfect now. I wish I had done it sooner. Sometimes, I wish I had just never woken up from that long sleep…” 

Mulan wondered how long they would stay together, then decided it didn’t matter. Before she fell asleep, she heard Rose murmuring over her. 

“So this is love…”

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I arranged the Princesses' "ages" according to their released films, not actual chronological age. Not sure how it came across but the characters "exist" in that they are based off real stories, they're just aware that they are cartoons and inhabit different worlds.


End file.
